Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Outcome After Conservative Surgery and Breast Irradiation in 5,717 Patients With Breast Cancer: Implications for Supraclavicular Nodal Irradiation

Journal Article · · International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics
 [1];  [1];  [2]; ; ; ; ; ;  [1];  [3];  [1];  [4];  [5];  [1]
  1. Radiotherapy Unit, University of Florence, Florence (Italy)
  2. Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology Unit, Cancer Research and Prevention Center, Scientific Institute of Tuscany, Florence (Italy)
  3. Department of Medical Physics, University of Florence, Florence (Italy)
  4. Department of Surgery, University of Florence, Florence (Italy)
  5. Department of Pathology, University of Florence, Florence (Italy)
Purpose: To evaluate the outcome and predictive factors of patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy to the whole breast only, without supraclavicular nodal irradiation. Methods and Materials: A total of 5,717 patients with pT1-T4 breast cancer were treated at the University of Florence. The median age of the patient population was 55 years (range, 30-80 years). All patients were followed for a median of 6.8 years (range, 1-27 years). Adjuvant chemotherapy was recommended in 1,535 patients (26.9%). Tamoxifen was prescribed in 2,951 patients (51.6%). The patients were split into three groups according to number of positive axillary nodes (PAN): P1, negative axillary lymph nodes; P2, one to three PAN; P3, more than three PAN. Results: The P3 patients had a higher incidence of supraclavicular fossa recurrence (SFR) compared with P2 and P1 patients. However, the incidence of SFR in P3 patients was low (only 5.5%), whereas the incidence of distant metastases (DM) was 27.2%. Distant metastasis was the only independent prognostic factor for breast cancer survival. Additionally, in the subgroup of patients who developed local recurrence, DM was the most important death predictor. Conclusion: Our series suggests that isolated SFR in patients who did not receive supraclavicular radiotherapy is infrequent, as well as in those patients who have more than three PAN, and SFR seems not to influence the outcome, which depends on DM occurrence.
OSTI ID:
21372149
Journal Information:
International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Journal Name: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 76; ISSN IOBPD3; ISSN 0360-3016
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Risk Factors for Regional Nodal Relapse in Breast Cancer Patients With One to Three Positive Axillary Nodes
Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics · OSTI ID:22056282

Determining Which Patients Require Irradiation of the Supraclavicular Nodal Area After Surgery for N1 Breast Cancer
Journal Article · Sun Nov 14 23:00:00 EST 2010 · International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics · OSTI ID:21438050

Locally recurrent breast carcinoma: The effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on prognosis
Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · Radiology; (United States) · OSTI ID:5212286